


Bird I.N. AU - One Shots

by SparklyBonehead



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: AU Super Powers, Bird I.N. AU, Gay Hwang Hyunjin, Gen, Marvel-Style Mutant AU, One Shot Collection, Rich boy Yang Jeongin, Sort-of implied Hyunin, Telepath Chan, Telepathy, characters may be added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:35:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25754434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparklyBonehead/pseuds/SparklyBonehead
Summary: Jeongin-centered one-shots from my SKZ Super Power AU. Probably form some kind of narrative eventually, who knows.
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

Yang Jeongin stood behind the glass of the mansion’s picture windows and sighed. It was summer, and the grounds looked inviting, but he knew it was too hot out there. He stretched his arms over his head, his wings following suit, extending partway and then folding up again. He was terribly bored. All the staff were scared of him, and his parents were at work, plus there was never anything to do anyway. He looked out at the well-maintained lawn and garden, all the way down to the black iron gates that barred his exit. There were several gaps in the wall surrounding the estate, but all were barred to him. There was a minute movement near the gate, and Jeongin zeroed in on it immediately. It was a man, or maybe several, peeking through the bars. One had binoculars. Jeongin was astonished. Other people! Maybe he could talk to them. He was out and heading their way before anyone could stop him.

“Here he comes.” Bang Chan lowered his binoculars as the object of his observation approached. Changbin peeked around him to see.

“Wow, he looks awesome. You’ve found a real interesting one this time, Chan.” He grinned. Jisung, leaning against the wall by Chan’s side, frowned.

“Don’t get too excited. Rich boy’s liable to call the cops on us.” Chan gestured for them to quiet down.

“He’s almost here.” 

“Hi.” Said Jeongin. “What are you guys doing?” His tone was friendly, and his smile was enthusiastic. His brown-feathered wings were folded behind him, but easily as long as he was tall, which wasn’t much shorter than Chan was. He seemed awfully young.

“Would it be weird to say we were looking for you?” Chan asked. Jeongin nodded.

“Yeah, since I’m not on any legal records. Are you mutants too?” Chan blinked.  _ This kid is astute.  _

“Well, yeah, we are actually. We’re looking for people to join our team.” Jeongin’s eyes widened.

“Team? Like the X-men?” He looked adorable, and Chan smiled.

“Kinda like that. Would you like to be a part of it?” Jeongin’s smile faded. 

“I really would, but I can’t even use my powers.” He looked down at the ground. “I have these wings, but I can’t fly.” Chan looked sad, but it was mostly superficial. 

“Why not?” The kid looked at him pathetically.

“I’m too weak to get off the ground! Watch.” He spread his wings to their full span, displaying a striped pattern, then flapped them with what seemed like plenty of power. Dust and leaves swirled in the air current he generated, but the boy couldn’t lift off. “See?” He was almost in tears. Chan saw his thoughts and felt them too. He believed he would never amount to anything, never reach the sky, never have a life worth living. He sighed.

“I do. I see a boy trapped in a cage his whole life. You want to break free?” Jeongin nodded. Chan crossed his arms. “We can’t do it for you. You have to fly out of here on your own. When you can do that, find us.” He passed a small card through the bars to him. It bore nothing but an address. Chan began walking away, his friends following him, glancing back at Jeongin with unreadable looks. 

“I will!” Jeongin cried, as they left. “I’ll get strong, and I’ll come find you!” Tears began rolling down his face as the boy found himself alone again. He fell to his knees and sobbed. 

The next morning, Jeongin awoke earlier than usual, and ate breakfast alone. His parents were already gone. He found his lightest clothes, and went out into the mansion’s backyard, a huge plot of woodland that had belonged to the Yang family for generations. The cool shade felt good after so long indoors, and the woods were at once busy and peaceful. He found a space where he could spread his wings fully and did so, feeling the muscles strain as he flexed them, getting to know a different part of himself. He began flapping, slowly at first, but accelerated to a steady rhythm after a while. He maintained this for as long as he could, never generating enough lift to take off, but exhausting himself nonetheless. He worked at this for hours, trying different intervals and testing his wings range of motion, until he couldn’t go on, his back and chest burning, sweat soaking his shirt. He was sore for days after that, but he kept working at it. Every day at dinner, his parents would ask what he had been up to. Jeongin never told the truth, even though he knew it would be impossible to hide forever. His appetite had already increased by a fair margin, and he knew more changes would follow. When his mutation had first manifested, Jeongin had grown feathers all over his body, talons on his hands and feet. He only hoped what happened this time wouldn’t be so extreme. 

Nearly a month had passed like this when Jeongin saw that his eyes had changed colour. They were yellow, like those of a hawk. While his eyesight had always been good, it seemed even better now, and he could pick out minuscule details even hundreds of metres away. He was flying now, if only barely, and he wondered if his body was reacting to his attempts at flight. Preparing him for life as a mutant birdman. He tried not to worry over it. His parents didn’t ask about his eyes, but seemed distraught by them.

“You aren’t doing anything unusual, are you dear?” His mother asked one evening. Jeongin knew that when she said unusual she meant it in the worst way possible. 

“Of course not.” He smiled as pleasantly as he could muster. “Mutations just change sometimes.” That much was true. Before adulthood, a mutant’s abilities could change drastically, sometimes for no reason at all. While South Korea seemed to want to pretend otherwise, mutants were appearing everywhere and their unique traits were often making news. Jeongin’s parents too seemed to want to pretend their son wasn’t a mutant. That was why they didn’t seem to want to look him in the eyes anymore. It reminded them of the truth. 

Two weeks later, Bang Chan passed by the house again. He had someone else with him this time, a handsome guy in a fashionable outfit.

“I’m Hyunjin.” He shook Jeongin’s hand through the bars.

“So how’s it going?” Chan asked. Jeongin smirked. 

“Can’t you tell?” He felt quite proud of his progress then, as it showed it’s physical signs. He was outgrowing his shirts, lately having to wear them unbuttoned at the top to accommodate his broadening chest. Chan nodded appreciatively. 

“Those are certainly some nice pectorals.” Hyunjin whistled. 

“I’ll say.” Chan frowned at him.

“He’s sixteen, don’t go getting any ideas.” Hyunjin put his hands up. 

“I’m not technically an adult either!” Chan waved dismissively at him.

“Please excuse him, he’s gay.” Jeongin laughed, then they all did. Chan could hardly believe how the boy had changed in such a short time. His thoughts were determined, confident and eager to please. He still struggled, for sure, but he was becoming brave. Chan placed his hand on Jeongin’s shoulder. “I think you could be a great comrade for us. Are you flying yet?” Jeongin sighed.

“Not much. I can lift off, but my stamina is no good. I can’t get much further than fifty metres tops.” Chan smiled encouragingly.

“Remember, you were flightless a month ago. This is honestly insane progress, I didn’t expect this much. You’ve made me proud already.” The boy’s yellow eyes sparkled. 

“I’ll be ready to join you soon! I’ll keep working hard and show you how great I can be!” Chan couldn’t help but feel touched.

“I don’t doubt it at all.”

A tailor was brought in to fit Jeongin for new shirts. The same tailor had made all his other shirts, receiving generous tips for his discretion, as well as his staff’s. While his confidence had been soaring lately, Jeongin still found it difficult to stand before his father, now in particular as he was trying on the specially altered garments. The change in his physique was far too great now for his parents to miss. They still didn’t ask about it, and Jeongin was spared having to come up with excuses, but their suspicion made him nervous. What if, when the time came, they would somehow stop him from leaving? He feared what they might do to keep him contained, grounded, away from any who would see that he had his mother’s high cheekbones, his father’s narrow eyes. The Yang family was prominent in many industries around Korea, and if they were found to have a secret mutant son, it could ruin them. Jeongin didn’t care about that, but he knew his parents were do nearly anything to preserve their empire. They could never know what he was planning. Jeongin would have to leave everything behind for his new life. He had to come to terms with what exactly that meant. 

It was around three weeks after that that Jeongin found himself deciding which of his possessions to pack into a duffel bag. He had finally reached a level where flying felt easy; he could circle the estate many times before feeling tired. He knew he could stay no longer. His parents were on edge, and might resort to drastic measures at a moment’s notice. From his desk drawer, he extracted the card Chan had given him months ago. On the wooden tabletop sat the note he had written with care, reassuring his parents that he was fine but warning them not to look for him. Jeongin knew it likely wouldn’t help much, but it was all he could do. If he went in broad daylight they would stop him. He put the last few items into the bag and zipped it closed. It was time to go. He walked out onto his balcony, shutting the door with care, and stepped up onto the railing. He stretched his wings wide, flapping slowly to warm up, then bent his knees and leapt into the air. 

The night was warm and the winds were favorable. Jeongin soared over the neighbourhoods of Seoul, reading the street signs below him and observing the people. Nearly no one looked up, and the night sky was empty, save a few pigeons. Jeongin had never felt better. He was soaring under his own power, on his way to meet people like him. He could live with people who wouldn’t look at him like he was a monster, who would love him for all he was. It was so exciting to imagine it. 

Bang Chan was working late as usual. His studio, a converted school bus, was the only source of light in the warehouse, reflecting off the concrete floor. Eight of them lived there now, the bulk of the group recruited from around the city by Chan, Han and Changbin. Chan felt a presence enter his telepathic field, and smiled. He put his work away with care and walked out, down to the small door next to the main gate, a massive rolling metal rectangle. He turned on the light, looked up and the sky and waited. He didn’t have to wait long. A shape like a huge bird became visible, Chan sensing the familiar mental signature of the winged boy, Yang Jeongin. His excitement was overpowering as he got close, and Chan refocused on his normal senses. The boy came in for a landing, creating a gust of wind that mussed Chan’s hair. His huge wings folded behind him and he ran towards Chan, smiling with his whole face. 

“Jeongin!” Chan barely managed to greet him before the boy practically tackled him in a hug. 

“I made it! I flew here all by myself.” The kid was glowing with pride. He released him, and Chan stepped back to take in the new Jeongin. It had only been a month since he had last visited him, but the boy seemed to have grown even more. The massive flight muscles in his upper body were quite apparent even with the newly tailored shirt. His wings seemed more voluminous, and had he gotten taller? Chan dreaded the day Jeongin would be taller than him. “Hyung? Can I call you that?” Chan regained the power of speech.

“Yeah, of course. You did great getting here on your own.” He opened the door to the warehouse, letting Jeongin step through. “Welcome home.”


	2. Chapter 2

The sun shone down relentlessly as Bang Chan and Han trekked through the woods. From where they were on the edge of Seoul, they could still hear distant traffic noise, but signs of civilization were scarce.

“You’re sure he’s here?” Han asked for the fourth or fifth time. Chan nodded.

“I can feel him. He’s... wild, but it’s him.” 

Jeongin had been missing for nearly a year. After giving up on him coming back on his own, Chan had finally decided to take matters into his own hands. Reports of a bird-man in the woods of Bukhansan, complete with blurry photos of a huge, winged shape, had brought him to the untracked regions of the mountain, intent upon catching the boy and bringing him home.

“You shouldn’t have let him go back then.” Said Han. Chan flinched.

“I know man, I know. I thought he just needed some time alone. I was sure he’d be back in a few days, we’ve gone over this so many times.” He went quiet as the wind blew through, not quite masking the sound of wings. He gestured to Han to keep quiet. _“He’s close.”_ He thought to him. _“Be on your guard.”_ Han nodded. The two men crept through the scrub, listening for any telltale sounds in the trees. Chan focused on the scattered mental impression of the boy he had known, now so close he could almost read his thoughts. It drew him closer, until he reached the base of a large tree, and the vague stream of consciousness coalesced into tangible thoughts.

 _“Intruder!”_ It was less a word and more a concept, focused on Chan’s presence in what Jeongin clearly saw as his territory. _“Danger. Hide.”_ Chan stood still beneath the tree.   
_“He’s in the branches above me.”_ He thought to Han, not daring to turn his head. _“I’m gonna try to calm him down. He’s scared and doesn’t know us.”_ Han projected nervousness overlaid with concern.

 _“I’ll watch your back.”_ Han thought. Chan took a deep breath and slowly looked up. Perched in the branches above him, brown feathers blending in with tree bark, was what resembled a large humanoid hawk. Huge wings pulled in close around his body, taloned hands and feet gripping the tree limbs tightly, and yellow eyes shining from the shadows. _Just like an animal,_ Chan thought. He projected calm and reassurance, not taking his eyes off the feral boy above him. _Come on._ He reached out with his mind, an offer of safety and friendship. Slowly, the bird came down from his perch, regarding Chan curiously. Bang Chan had a hard time maintaining his composure now that he could see Jeongin’s face, partly hidden behind a mop of shaggy hair. He looked the same as he ever had, if a little more mature, his features sharper after a year in the wild.   
“You remember me, right?” Chan asked. The bird boy tilted his head.

“Know you. From... before?” The words came out rough, his voice perhaps a little deeper than Chan remembered. He clutched his head with a scaly hand, as if using language was giving him a headache. “You... Here to take me back!” He became startled, but Chan grabbed him by the shoulders.   
“This is gonna hurt me more than it hurts you.” He hit his head against Jeongin’s, knocking him out. The winged boy fell to the ground. Chan rubbed his forehead. “Wow. That was intense.” He turned to Han. “Can you put a bubble around him?” Han, who had been watching the whole thing, nodded.

“Sure.” He reached out with his hand and conjured a spherical force field around the boy, with several air holes at the top. Concentrating, he lifted the bubble off the ground and walked over to stand next to Chan. “I can hardly believe it’s him.” Chan grimaced.   
“I know. He said this is what it was like when first got his powers, but actually seeing it is another matter.” Most of Jeongin’s body was covered in feathers, only his face and the front of his torso still bare. The remains of his clothes were tied around his waist, along with a shoelace strung with small mammal skulls. “Does he seem bigger to you?” Chan asked. Han hefted the force field.

“He seems heavier. I wonder what he’s been eating.” The two started walking, heading back down the mountain.   
“Squirrels?” Chan grinned at his buddy.

“Oh ha-ha, yeah real funny.”

* * *

They returned to the warehouse, taking the utmost care not to disturb Jeongin, who was now peacefully asleep. Han was finally able to release his bubble when they got to the boy’s old room, which had been cleaned and prepared for his return. Jeongin landed softly in a pile of old blankets, sheets and pillows. He stirred slightly but did not awaken. Chan and Han both breathed a sigh of relief. Bang Chan settled next to the sleeping boy.   
“I’m gonna stay here with him for the night.” Han hesitated.

“But Chan-“ Chan held up his hand.   
“It’s fine. Go on, I’ll watch over him.” Han left, though he didn’t want to. Chan watched him go, then turned his attention back to Jeongin. Asleep, his mind was quiet, no thoughts stirring it’s surface. Chan exhaled, smiling. He was peaceful, at least for now. Tomorrow’s worries would be left for tomorrow.

Chan awoke to find the small space quiet. The bedding was messy, but Jeongin was no longer there. Chan stretched and looked around while easing his body out of the slumped position it had been in all night. “Hmmmmm...” _Where has he gone?_ Chan extended his still-sleepy mind out, and sensed the boy quite nearby. _Oh_. He turned around. “Hi there.” Jeongin was pressed into the corner of the room, yellow eyes wide, clearly disturbed by his surroundings. Chan closed off his telepathy quickly so as not to be overwhelmed by the boy’s distress. They were less than a meter apart. Chan was reminded of a skittish cat he had met on the sidewalk once, who had let him get close but run away when he reached out to pet it. He would have to take this slowly. “Are you scared?” Chan already knew the answer, but he had to remind the kid that he cared about him. Jeongin’s eyes met Chan’s momentarily. He nodded.   
“Inside. Different place. Don’t go here.” His sentences were simple, but not like those of a child. _His mind isn’t wired for Korean anymore._ Chan understood what he was trying to say, however.

“You think you don’t belong here.” He looked at the little room, smiling. “This is your place, though. The little home you made, after you came to us.” Jeongin shook his head. He still didn’t look at Chan, but his posture relaxed slightly.   
“Not my place. Not anymore.” He looked sort of sad. Chan took the risk of reaching out to his consciousness. It was small and reserved, the way it had been when he had first encountered Jeongin, almost two years ago, but that had been the result of an oppressive home. This was more like a defensive mechanism, like camouflage or a protective shell. _He’s hiding from me_. Chan felt awful. He sighed.

“Want food?” Chan didn’t know how long the boy had been awake, but he figured it was worth asking if he wanted breakfast.   
“Yes.” Came his minuscule reply. He looked at Chan again. “Always.” Chan nearly laughed. He stood up slowly, and walked away facing Jeongin. _Hopefully he won’t run away while I’m getting breakfast._

The warehouse was still mostly quiet at ten in the morning, but clearly Lee Know had been in the kitchen. An assortment of breakfast foods was spread out on the counter. Chan perused it all, wondering what Jeongin would like.

“Good morning.” A warm voice spoke from behind him. Chan turned halfway around. Woojin was still in his pyjamas, sipping coffee from a mug with chickens all over it. Chan smiled. “Hi. What do you think I should bring Jeongin?” Woojin looked surprised for a second.

“You actually caught him? How is he?” Chan frowned a little. “Freaked out. He thinks he doesn’t belong here anymore.” Woojin nodded, as if he knew the feeling.

“I’d start with a fried egg on rice. Nice and simple.” He emptied his mug and put it in the sink. “Should I tell the others about this?” Chan pondered that.

“Just tell Minho. Han’s probably already told Changbin. We should wait and get all the kids together for this, later.” Woojin nodded.

“Okay. Good luck with nature boy.” He walked away. Chan began filling a bowl with rice, mentally going through the best way to explain to the kids about their littlest brother. _Hey, remember Jeongin? Well, we brought him back but he’s feral now haha._ Chan poured himself a coffee, sighing. “Oh boy.”

He brought the food back to Jeongin’s room. The boy seemed a bit more relaxed now, sitting cross-legged on the bare planks of the floor. Chan suddenly remembered that aside from the feathers, Jeongin was naked. “Hm.” He smiled through his discomfort and handed the boy his breakfast. He regarded the food curiously, sniffed it. Chan sat down opposite him. “It’s rice, and an egg. Do you remember?” Jeongin’s gaze was piercing as he turned to Chan.

“Yes. Chopsticks?” He clicked the talons of his thumb and index finger together.

“Oh, I didn’t expect you to want them.” Chan briefly searched his pockets. “Don’t know how I thought you’d eat that though.” He found a pair, and handed them over. Jeongin’s hand, scaly and clawed as it was, still gripped the chopsticks with practiced ease. He folded the egg and shoved it into his mouth. Chan chuckled. “Good?” Jeongin nodded enthusiastically. “Good.” Even without peeking into his mind, Chan could tell he was getting comfortable again. He wondered how much of Jeongin’s feral state had been a conscious choice. _Or a defence mechanism..._ He mused. Jeongin finished his breakfast, setting his bowl down with care. He watched Chan with interest, like a cat watching a bug. His body language was that of a relaxed, playful creature. His wings were no longer stiffly folded, but partly open and resting on the floor. Chan ate his food quickly to keep it from being snatched, then began poking around the small room. Jeongin followed him. “Looking for?” Chan sighed.

“You don’t remember where you kept your clothes do you?” Jeongin tilted his head in an adorable thinking pose. He pointed across the room.

“In box.” Chan followed where the yellow-scaled digit was pointing. A wooden trunk like something out of a historical drama, partly covered in old linens.

“Oh, thanks.” He opened the trunk and quickly found what he was looking for. “Here.” He tossed a pair of black-and-white shorts to Jeongin. “Put those on.” The boy blinked twice. “On? Why?” Chan sighed.

“Because that’s what people do. We wear clothes.” Jeongin shook his head.

“Don’t need it.” His feathers puffed up slightly as if to emphasize that point. Chan wondered if this was what parenting was like.

“I know you don’t need them, but when I show you to the others you need to have pants on!” It was frustrating to try and convince him of this.

“Others?” Jeongin’s feathers settled down, and he suddenly looked small again. Chan exhaled.

“Yeah, the other guys on our team. Do you remember them?” Jeongin seemed to ponder it. “Big brothers. Felix. Hyunjin. More.” He said, his voice quiet as he carefully articulated the names. His eyes grew sad. “I almost forgot them.” A full sentence. Chan reached out tenderly with his mind. Jeongin’s thoughts were all memories of his time with them here, talking, laughing, flying around and having adventures. “Chan?” He spoke again, breaking Chan’s focus.   
“I missed you.” Their eyes met.

“Me too buddy.” Jeongin was tearing up. “C’mere.” Chan opened his arms and Jeongin only barely hesitated before embracing him right back.

“I’m sorry.” He spoke through his tears. “I shouldn’t have run away.”

“It’s okay.” Chan soothed him. “You’re back here with us. That’s what matters.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looking back, this story doesn’t have much point to it. I think I only wrote this to visualise a more feral version of Bird Jeongin. But now you, lucky readers, get to experience it too! And a little world-building for your trouble.

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment if you like! This story is very close to my heart, I came up with this AU with my best friend when we were both still baby Stays.   
> I have another short in the works but I’m not sure about it yet, so I can’t guarantee any additions for a little while.


End file.
